Disclaimer: Characters belong to Victorious, meaning Dan Schneider and Nickelodeon, setting property of StakeTheHeart. Happy Valentine dear friend, x3

In Sickness and In Health

Tori felt sick. It was normal with pregnancy but for her, it was strange, considering she was having a child that had a wolf spirit within. It was interesting how different she was when surrounded by the pack; when humans, she was easily irritated, when they were wolves, she played with them. She was uncomfortable around town, going and being about on her own was worse; not even André could help her there. The only time she was remotely comfortable, was in the forest.

"Awwwww!" Cat hummed. "She's so cute when she's around the pups!"

"They like her," Robbie agreed, smiling and standing behind the Latina; he didn't realize how she had frozen at his nearness, "and you're starting to show!"

"Rob!" Jade barked and he jumped and stepped back, whimpering a bit. She sighed then turned wolf and cuddled with her mate, licking the hand.

"Oh Jade, as long as it's you . . ." Tori sighed and cuddled, enjoying the scent of pines and forest.

They fell into a light sleep like that, and Cat, in wolf form, encouraged her pups to cuddle around the showing belly. She cuddled into the pair as well, placing her snout on the waist, near the belly. The bridge of her nose was gently caressed and Cat was happy. Robbie soon followed, placing his own snout near his mate's. He was happy as well.

"Where is she?!" Jade demanded from her pack upstairs, snarling her rage; at their confused gazed, she stomped off. "There's no certainty at what could happen should the others —"

"Wow Jade!" Ry tried to ease her but he was clearly not the right person to do it.

"Jade, wait," Charlie intervened before their dear leader killed her own brother, "she didn't want us too. We tried, we really did, even as wolves but she leashed out . . ."

"I never thought that would happen to a human mate," Hex confided, sounding awed, "she knew, really knew we were still there."

Jade huffed and left, going on all four and turning in the blink of an eye, following more than the scent which had mingled so well with the forest, but the bond they shared. She was worried, doubly so since it meant both, her child and her mate. It was worrisome, gripping, but she also knew better than to allow those feelings to be shared through the bond. It was so quiet, so still, that she couldn't help the fear that overcame her.

The surprise that came to Tori almost made her hold slip, so she sped ahead allowing the wolf to take charge. How did Tori managed to get so far so fast? Then the warmest, fussiest and motherly feeling came through the bond and she saw through her mate's eyes. It was a pup, barely three weeks old and already exploring. Through the bond they both knew, it was a shifter, and this time Jade heard the Latina's ringing, musical laughter; the pup was nipping at her fingers.

Then the alpha perceived the smell of the enemy pack. It was soft, but palpable. Hackles raised, Jade barged into the clearing, just at the same time a female appeared. She looked ragged, forced out of her transformation, and if Jade's mind served her right, her name was Meredith. Still, Jade bared her fangs and stood poised, ready to attack and protect.

"Please," she requested, falling to her knees, sobbing, "that's Beck's pup, it was a night he decided to become the human's fiancé —"

"Change!" Jade's demand was clear, turning back just as quickly but Meredith simply sobbed.

"I can't!" She replied, whimpering. "When Beck was killed, we were all forced out of shapes and we can't turn back!

"He, he's the last of them, I couldn't properly feed them, and he's the only one left . . ." Meredith leaned against a tree, trying her hardest to keep breathing. "Please . . . I had no idea that when he took me, even though we weren't mated, we would have cubs. He transformed in the middle of it, making me do so as well . . ."

"He had no idea," Jade concluded, having taken her human form now that she knew the truth and wanting to speak, "you never told him."

"It wasn't uncommon, for me to go missing for months at a time," now she was much calmer, "it was my way of coping with their abuse."

"Your parents had been killed like mine," Jade remembered, Alec had been distraught that he only managed saved one of the orphans and had feared for the worst; he had never considered the possibility of them keeping her, "you tried hard to please them, didn't you?"

"They thought I was sterile," she winced, "after all, they took turns, all but Beck of course, but I never became pregnant. After they stopped, I began leaving and returning, never sure if I should have stayed with them, if I should try to join you . . ."

It was then that she sighed in relief, and everything spoke of her death. Jade got up and took Tori and the pup with her, away from the sight. She would order the pack to give her a proper burial when she got back. Right now, she had a three-week old pup, another on the way and a mate to take care off; it was obvious that Tori was enjoying the cub's way, and truth be told, even if it was indeed Beck's, only they both knew. Tori obviously was more worried about the little one and Jade, Jade considered this a chance to finally join both packs into one. It could be considered new blood as well, so it was a win-win situation for everyone.